Raksha means safety and bandhan means bond. Raksha Bandhan or Rakhi is an important Hindu festival, dedicated to brothers and sisters. On this auspicious day, sisters tie a thread on her brother's wrist and pray for his long and prosperous life. In return, the brother gives a token of love to his loving sister.
History and significance
Legend has it that Raksha Bandhan can be traced back to the day when
Lord Krishna had accidentally cut his finger with the Sudarshan Chakra.
Draupadi, the wife of Pandavas felt a lot of pain seeing him hurt and
she immediately tore a piece of her vastra and tied it to Lord Krishna's
bleeding finger to help soothe his pain and stop the blood from
flowing. Lord Krishna was deeply touched by her gesture and in return
promised to take care of her from all evils in the world. He called it
the Raksha Sutra. And as we know that when Kauravas tried to dishonour
her in the court by attempting to disrobe her, Lord Krishna blessed his
sister and made sure that the sari she was wearing became endless in
length. This is how her brother saved her from the evils - as he had
promised.
The festival has become a favourite among siblings where they engage
in playful and lightheaded banter and the whole family comes together
to witness the special moments. With changing times, it is not just the
brothers and sisters who tie Rakhi to each other but also friends,
distant relatives have started this tradition.
Many women also visit temples and tie threads to the idol of Lord
Krishna, hoping and praying for the Lord to protect them from hardships
and evils.
Interestingly, this festival isn’t limited to a female tying thread
to a male anymore. Even sisters who don't have brothers have started
celebrating the festival by tying Rakhi on each other's hands and
promising love and safety always!
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Very informative ๐
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